Proposed pipeline route

NSP2 comprises two 48” diameter subsea pipelines and associated onshore facilities. The pipelines will extend through the Baltic Sea from the southern Russian coast (Narva Bay) in the Gulf of Finland to the German coast, in the Lubmin area, see Figure 6-2.

The entire pipeline route will cover a distance of approximately 1,230 km if the combination of the NSP2 route with V1 is selected, or approximately 1,248 km if the combination of the NSP2 route with V2 is selected. The proposed pipeline route crosses the TW of Russia and Germany and runs within the EEZs of Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. The NSP2 pipelines run parallel to the existing NSP system for most of the route in Finland, Sweden and Germany. On the basis of envi-ronmental and technical considerations, and given the fact that permits for NSP2 have been issued in all other jurisdictions, including in Sweden and Germany, the proposed NSP2 route and its re-spective route variants, V1 and V2, connect to the original fix points of the NSP2 base case route at the Danish/German EEZ border and at the Danish/Swedish EEZ border. Figure 6-2 provides an overview of the proposed routing of NSP2.

Figure 6-2 Proposed NSP2 route in the Baltic Sea.

Landfall facilities in Russia and Germany will connect the two pipelines to the Russian and European gas networks, which are located beyond the Pig Trap Area (PTA) at each end.

The Narva Bay area has been selected for the landfall in Russia. The PTA in Narva Bay is located approximately 4 km inland from the Land Termination End (LTE). The Lubmin area has been se-lected for the landfall in Germany. The PTA in Lubmin is located approximately 0.4 km from the LTE.

Route details in the Danish section

In the Danish section, the proposed NSP2 route runs exclusively in the EEZ south and east of Bornholm, see Figure 6-3. South of Bornholm, the proposed NSP2 route crosses the NSP pipelines and continues to Germany following next to the NSP route. The length of the proposed NSP2 route in Danish waters is approximately 147 km if the combination of the NSP2 route with V1 is selected, or approximately 164 km if the combination of the NSP2 route with V2 is selected.

Figure 6-3 Proposed NSP2 route in Denmark.

The two NSP2 pipelines (Line A and Line B) will run parallel to one another. The separation distance of the two lines may vary between approximately 35 m and 155 m in Denmark.

Route surveys

A number of surveys are carried out as part of the project. The objectives of the surveys are:

• To collate and integrate survey data used as the basis to develop the detailed scope of work for the project;

• To identify and map potential munitions, geological features and environmental constraints that may have the potential to influence pipeline installation works;

• To identify and map features or areas of cultural heritage, e.g. wrecks to be avoided or safe-guarded;

• To determine the crossing points of existing infrastructure, e.g. pipelines, cables.

In 2007, various reconnaissance engineering surveys were conducted along the route; reconnais-sance environmental surveys were performed in 2005-2006. To confirm that no changes to the seabed have occurred since then, additional surveys have been initiated, see Figure 6-4. Engi-neering surveys aimed for design and route optimization and environmental surveys have started in 2018 and will be finalised in 2019. Final surveys for route optimization will continue in 2019.

Engineering surveys are discussed shortly in this section, and environmental surveys are dis-cussed in section 7.

Figure 6-4 Schedule of surveys in Danish waters.

A geophysical route survey along the NSP2 route covering a corridor of approximately 500 m has been carried out to confirm the preliminary pipeline route and to evaluate whether any local route adjustments are necessary.

A detailed route survey covering a corridor with a width of approximately 200 m has been con-ducted to support route optimisation, enable all objects to be detected and enable detailed profiling along each planned pipeline centreline. This will reduce the likelihood of positioning errors known to be problematic in the Baltic Sea due to pycnoclines.

A geotechnical survey will be performed to optimise the pipeline engineering design, including the detailed route and required seabed intervention works, to ensure the long-term integrity of the pipeline system.

Figure 6-5 Schematic representation of surveys conducted in Danish waters.

Figure 6-6 Example of bathymetry profile data acquired during a previous reconnaissance survey for the NSP2 base case route.

A munitions screening survey is being performed to establish that the selected pipeline corridor is clear of potential unexploded munitions (conventional and chemical) that could constitute a danger to the pipeline or the environment during the installation and/or the operational lifetime of the pipeline system. The munitions screening survey covers a pipe-lay corridor +/- 7.5 m on either side of the nominal pipeline route. Wider sections are also covered where the pipelines may be subject to post-lay trenching or will involve any seabed intervention works. Magnetic anomalies over a calibrated threshold are then visually investigated using video and still cameras mounted on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The larger targets identified during the detailed geophysical survey are additionally visually inspected by ROV.

To assess sites of potential cultural heritage value e.g. wrecks, selected objects identified during reconnaissance and detailed route surveys are visually inspected as necessary. Objects of cultural importance will be taken into account in the NSP2 pipeline route optimisation.

Other surveys include visual inspections and further route optimisation surveys. In the event that an anchored pipe-lay vessel is used, an anchor corridor survey will be undertaken to identify, verify and catalogue all obstructions. A DP vessel will not require any further surveys in addition to the detailed geophysical survey and the munitions screening survey.

A pre-lay survey of the installation corridor will be performed prior to pipe-lay to ensure that no new obstacles are present on the seabed. Once the pipelines have been installed, laid and as-built surveys will be performed to document the as-as-built status of each pipeline.

In addition, environmental baseline surveys have been performed in 2018 along the proposed NSP2 route and NSP2 route V2, and in 2019 along the NSP2 route V1. The results of the 2018-2019 surveys have been assessed and are incorporated into this report.